Dr. Sanjay Mandal
Professor (HAG), Chemical Sciences

Email sanjaymandal(AT)iisermohali.ac.in
Phone +91 172 2293185
Fax +91 172 2240266
Personal Page                                                               
Research Area
 Organometallic/Inorganic Chemistry, Supramolecular Chemistry, Catalysis, Multifunctional Nano Materials & X-ray Diffractometry
Research Focus

Prof. Mandal’s group is engaged in developing diversified chemistry of elements across the periodic table through a variety of interdisciplinary projects that involve multi-step organic synthesis, coordination chemistry, catalysis and materials science. Various spectroscopic techniques (UV-vis, FTIR, NMR, Raman, CD and Fluorescence), thermal analysis (TGA and DSC), electrochemistry, surface analysis (SEM/EDX, AFM and TEM), and X-ray crystallography (PXRD and SCXRD) are routinely used for establishing physicochemical properties of the new organic, inorganic and organometallic compounds. This has resulted in the strategic design of porous materials with a special emphasis on Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs) for their diverse structural aesthetics and for their possible roles in various applications, such as catalysis, molecular separation, luminescence, gas and liquid adsorption, magnetism, etc. The major projects that we have worked on are: (i) design of bifunctional heterogeneous catalysts with hydrogen-bond-donating (primary amide group) and/or hydrogen-bond-accepting (oxadiazole moiety) capabilities along with Lewis acid centers for a number of important organic transformations, and (ii) development of multifarious micro- and mesoporous nanomaterials for (a) sequestration and conversion of carbon dioxide, (b) ultrafast/selective sensing of metal ions and neutral small molecules (nitroaromatics and ketones) at ppb/ppt level, and (c) study of non-radioactive surrogates of nuclear wastes such as multimedia I2 capture and selective sensing of ReO4- in water, and (iii) generation and applications of metal oxides and sulfides in luminescence, photocatalysis, organic transformations, and adsorption of pollutants. 


Representative Publications

  • Gogia, A.; Bhambri, H.; Mandal, S. K. Exploiting a Multi-Responsive Oxadiazole Moiety in One Three-Dimensional Metal−Organic Framework for Remedies to Three Environmental Issues. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2023, 15, 8241–8252.
  • Chanda, A.; Mandal, S. K. Selective and ultrafast sensing of 2,4,6-trinitrophenol - A nitro-explosive and mutagenic pollutant - In aqueous media by highly stable and recyclable metal-organic probes: Design principles and mechanistic studies. Dyes and Pigments, 2023, 210, 111025.
  • Gogia, A.; Mandal, S. K. Topologically Driven Pore/Surface Engineering in a Recyclable Microporous Metal−Organic Vessel Decorated with Hydrogen-Bond Acceptors for Solvent-Free Heterogeneous Catalysis. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2022, 14, 27941–27954.
  • Khan, S.; Mandal, S. K. Luminescent 2D Pillared-Bilayer Metal−Organic Coordination Networks for Selective Sensing of ReO4− in Water. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2021, 13, 45465−45474.
  • Das. P.; Mandal, S. K. Unprecedented High Temperature CO2 Selectivity and Effective Chemical Fixation by a Copper-Based Undulated Metal−Organic Framework. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2020, 12, 37137–37146.
  • Khullar, S.; Mandal, S. K.  Modulation of hydrophilicity inside the cavity of molecular rectangles self-assembled under ambient conditions. Chem. Commun., 2020, 56, 7913-7916.
  • Gupta, V.; Mandal, S. K. A Highly Stable Triazole-Functionalized Metal-Organic Framework Integrated with Exposed Metal Sites for Selective CO2 Capture and Conversion. Chem. Eur. J., 2020, 26, 2658-2665.
  • Das, P.; Mandal, S. K. In-Depth Experimental and Computational Investigations for Remarkable Gas/Vapor Sorption, Selectivity, and Affinity by a Porous Nitrogen-Rich Covalent Organic Framework. Chem. Mater., 2019, 31, 1584.
  • Markad, D.; Mandal, S. K. Design of a Primary-Amide-Functionalized Highly Efficient and Recyclable Hydrogen-Bond-Donating Heterogeneous Catalyst for the Friedel-Crafts Alkylation of Indoles with β-Nitrostyrenes. ACS Catalysis, 2019, 9, 3165.
  • Das, P.; Mandal, S. K. A highly emissive fluorescent Zn-MOF: molecular decoding strategies for solvents and trace detection of dunnite in water. J. Mat. Chem. A, 2018, 6, 21274.
  • Das, P.; Mandal, S. K. A dual-functionalized, luminescent and highly crystalline covalent organic framework: Molecular decoding strategies for VOCs and ultrafast TNP sensing. J. Mat. Chem. A, 2018, 6, 16246.

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